Andalucian Life...: Pueblo Life? The house hunt begins. (and never ends)

Hola, Todos.

LIVING:

Yes, I am definately in Spain and have definately been here for over a week (was a week on Monday). I've spent most of my time honestly searching for an apartment, and I've gone through many phases of this. First, I was looking at apartments circa 200 euros/month, because that was around the price that my friend was paying. I found two fabulous apartments (mom, nag, and cat, those are the ones I emailed you about) that were 230euros/month and they are really really lovely. prob the coolest apartments I've ever had the option of living in. In my next phase, I was trying to find apartments that weren't SO perfectly central, that weren't like riDIculously cool, still nice enough, and that costed less. This is a much harder process than the one before because it requires factoring in so many little things. And it requires being super vigilant during my brief visits to visit the apartments (like, mental checklist and all).

Anyway, Huelma?

Ever since I've started my job, which is yesterday, I have been thinking about the possibility of living in Huelma, the town where my school is. Although I've figured out a commute and have a few options on places to live in Granada, here are my thoughts:
-The commute is tough. I mean, it's roughly 3 hours out of my day, 3 days a week, which is definately something. I have to fight really hard in the morning to not get car sick. I drive through the mountains on small windy roads and the driver drives maniacly and the car is controlled via stick shift, which makes it even jerkier and more nauseating than it needs to be.
-With these new financial issues (loans), I can actually pay quite less for rent and therefore would be more likely to afford paying back my student loans. Also, my boss is encouraging me to subscribe to a private health care company in addition to the public healthcare that I already have. He says it's better and faster. I told him about my knee injury and he said it would be better for me to do private insurance so I can get to it quickly. He said with public healthcare I might have to wait over a month to get started and my knee hurts a lot right now.
-Slower, I can focus more, think more. I felt flooded, unnecessarily (not in a stimulating way, like the way that New York floods my being. Just in a busycitystuffgoingon way) in Granada. And the smoke is suffocating me (cig and traffic). bleh.
-The town is nice and not too small. There are bookstores, cafes and restaurants, a pet shop, florists, I think even an theater. I think I could actually find some things to do outside of work. Some things to be involved with.
-One of my main goals of being here was/is to write a lot. Write short stories, online journal articles, start a novel. I think this would be the perfect place to do it. Away from distractions.

Qualms?:
-I'd like a gym. I don't know if they have one here.
-Can I do physical therapy here?
-there's noone here that's my age. For some reason at the moment that doesn't seem to bother me.
-possible lack of stimulation and boredom.
-less stuff availible that I'm used to
-It's colder because i'm in the mountains (and not particularly beautiful. Just kind of like hills in our vicinity, but we def get the temp of the mtns)

If I don't like it, I can always move into the city later.

Thoughts?

P.S.
-Spanish-speaking everyday: awesome. learning a lot. especially at my school where I spend a lot of time with the teachers in long and sometimes intense conversations about pedagogy and all.
-uh my comp charger is broken, so I've only been able to utilize the computer really infrequently. my apoligies for lack of communication, but, i mean, yeah.

Loves youuuu. u. u. u!

I don't have any pictures, yet, because I don't feel like a tourist. Sorry, duduzeses.